Journal of Medical Sciences1682-44741812-5727Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jms.2006.149.154RustamShazia us-sabaNoor- QayyumMazhar Ul IslamBadar QazilbashAli Abbas 2200662To investigate the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae among patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal infection and the risk factors associated with such infections, a total of 250 fecal samples were collected from the identified patients and their history and clinical examination findings recorded. Stool characteristics were noted and examinations performed, including direct microscopy of faeces, culturing and identification of causative agents. Confirmatory biochemical and serological tests were also carried out. Out of total samples, 84(33.6%) revealed enteropathogenic etiological agents. Among them 34 (13.6%) were bacterial pathogens, of which 27(10.8%) were from family Enterobacteriaceae and 7(2.8%) from Vibrionacaea, while the remaining 50 (20%) were of parasitic ova and/or cysts. Among the Enterobacteriaceae positive cases, 9 (33.3%) were identified as Shigellaspecies, 2 (7.4%) were Salmonellaspecies, while 16 (59.3%) were strains of pathogenic E. coli. Of the 9 Shigellaspecies 5 (55.5%) were Poly B serotypes, while 3 (33.3%) were Poly A serotypes and 1 (11.1%) was Poly D serotype. Of the 2 Salmonella species, one was Salmonellatyphi and other as Salmonellaparatyphyi. Of the 16 E. coli strains isolated, 11 (68.75%) were Poly 2 and 5 (31.25%) were Poly 3 serotypes. Abdominal cramps - severe to mild - and pus cells in stool were the most prominent clinical features, followed by mucus in the stool (96.3%). Of the positive cases for Enterobactericeae isolates, 17 (62.3%) were from male samples and 10 (37.7%) from female samples. Among these positive cases, 12 (44.4%) were from children under the age of 6 years and of these 8 cases were from boys and 4 from girls Of the positive cases reported in this study, 19 (70.4%) were from urban centers - 10 in Islamabad, 9 cases in Rawalpindi, while 8 (29.6%) of the cases were reported among people residing in the surrounding rural areas. Infection reported in the urban areas may be attributed to the overall poor quality of water supply and sanitation systems, high poverty rate in these areas and the lack of good hygiene practices among food vendors and users, as well as the overall lack of awareness and quality education. To combat such endemic diseases it is essential to prioritize political commitments for sustained socio-economic development, through the provision of resources, to address quality education, urban and rural planning and the commissioning of affordable, indigenous, cost-effective technologies for sanitation and wastewater treatment.]]>Admoni, O., P. Yagupsky, A. Golan, Y. Kenes, G. Schifroni and I. Horowitz,199527139144Alcamo, I.E.,1997pp: 234pp: 234Anonymous,20022002Asghar, U., Noor-us-Saba, A. Samad and A.A. Qazilbash,2002Salmonella and Shigella species isolated from blood and stool samples of patients visiting N. I. H, Islamabad.]]>28588Baron, E.J., R.S. Chang, D.H. Howard, J.N. Miller and J.A. Turner,1994pp: 215-218pp: 215-218Brooks, G.F., J.S. Butel and S.E. Morse,200122nd Edn.,pp: 217-218pp: 217-218Chaudhry, M.A., T. Butt and K.A. Karamat,1994447782Cheesebrough, M.,1991pp: 255pp: 255Noriega, F.R., F.M. Liao, S.B. Formal, A. Fassano and M.M. Levine,1995Shigella enterotoxin 1 among Shigella clinical isolates of diverse serotypes.]]>17214081410Gandapur, A.J., F. Rehman and M. Imran,199332221223Gomes, T.A., V. Rassi, K.L. MacDonald, S.R. Ramos and L.R. Trabulei et al.,1991164331337Hafiz, S., Y. Syed, U. Rauf, B.Qadir and M. Shahabuddin,199141211213Haider, K.,20032003Hakeem, R., F. Asar and A.H. Shaikh,200353556563Hydrie, M.Z.I., A. Basit, M.Y. Ahmedani, N. Badruddin, Q. Masood and Z. Miyan,2005157477Iqbal, I. and S. Ali,19999444446Karamat, K.A., I.A. Malik, S. Nabi, R.H. Qamar, A.H. Qureshi and M. Saleem,199332139142Karamat, K.A., B. Tariq, I.A. Malik, M.R. Butt, S. Abrar and S.N. Islam,1994441722Khan, N.A., Noor-us-Saba, A. Samad and A.A. Qazilbash,20025111113Lima, A.A.M., W. Titlow, M.E. Evans and R.N. Greenberg,19973510611065Masoumi, J.P., M.S. Anwar and S.R. Bokhari,199545266269Mubashir, R.,20032003Pugh, R.N.H.,19892410Qadri, S.M.H., K.A. Qatary, H.T. Tufenkeji and B.A. Cunha,199111633636Rafi, S., M.H. Rao, A.G. Billoo and I.A. Memon,2001402023Shehzad, M.,20022002Shehzad, M.,20032003Sultana, A. and A.M. Mir,199848130134Tariq, P.,199848130134Yamashiro, T., N. Nakasane, N. Higa, M. lwanaga and S. Insisiengmay et al.,19993621952199Yousef, M., A. Shurman, M. Bougnoux, M. Rawashdeh, S. Bretagne and N. Strockbine,200028257263Ullah, Z., K.A. Karamat, S.A. Abbasi, A. Ikram and S. Rafi,1997Escherichia coli 0157: H7 in children of Rawalpindi/Islamabad: Prevalence and clinical presentation.]]>83237